I went into this with a sort of, "okay, I really shouldn't touch this with a ten-foot pole, but I just have to know how bad this can be" attitude—as one does—and I'm kind of horrified that this is rather well written, and these seem like very real characters that are quite sincere, charming, and likable. Their slightly-too-close relationship (while not romance, hints thereof notwithstanding) is really quite believable, too...
Oh dear.
I do hope they stay as close friends instead of this taking a full-on cougar turn, though.